Theme Parks & Shopping Districts Reopening General Thread

[darkridelover]

Thats so evil.......fits Disney normal ammo perfectly.

Maybe even Universal will do the same with the Potter Light shows for HHN since I doubt they will have any other kinda shows.

Theme parks make a ton of money off fireworks. Keeps people in the park spending.

 

[HandsomePete]

I'm wary on flying for now, but data does seem to point to it being relatively safe, even if it's not perceived that way. Still, we won't be flying for a while due to other reasons.

Flew on SW on a “full” flight recently - can’t say enough about how well they handled it. People were generally sensible but thank goodness for the commitment to 40% capacity reduction. Immediate intervention from a flight attendant when a party of two tried to sit middle/aisle next to a lady. Pretty sure they should always board 10 at a time too instead of jamming the ramp

Nobody can make anyone feel 100% comfortable with flying, but I’ll be Southwest-only for the near future. Based on my experience, I’m now looking into Vegas for June/July depending on how well the city handles its opening and what restaurants reopen.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Theme parks make a ton of money off fireworks. Keeps people in the park spending.

Cant do a show when the parks close at 6pm.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Theme parks make a ton of money off fireworks. Keeps people in the park spending.

I'd loveeee to spend the day inside a person like that.
It's how I was raised but my parents taught me to have a set amount i spend on a trip, so to me I get like maybe one fun 20ish dollar item when I go to the parks but me staying later doesn't affect much besides needing to have dinner in the parks.

But with the low amount of people in parks until its at at least 75% I doubt they would make enough for it to be worth it to have Fireworks for now.

 

[Magic Feather]

The Villains After Hours event would probably make for a great blueprint for a socially distanced Halloween party. Brief parade Cavalcade in lieu of a full parade, crazy low capacity, smaller castle show that doesn’t draw *too* many people, specialty food and bev, no M&G’s, etc.

 

[HandsomePete]

Cant do a show when the parks close at 6pm.

Only because "risk-averse" Disney no longer thinks it's a good idea to fly ultralights pulling kites through a bunch of fireworks

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Looking at Disney's hours in July, all the parks have staggered openings and closings with each operating for 10 hours:

Animal Kingdom: 8AM-6PM
Magic Kingdom: 9AM-7PM
Hollywood: 10AM-8PM
Epcot: 11AM-9PM

I'm curious how long this stays in effect for/if hours get extended (same for Universal)

 

[Nick]

I can’t imagine who would be at Epcot that late with no festivals, Ratatouille not open yet and no fireworks.

The thing that keeps people at Epcot until close is a combination of festivals and fireworks. Without either (and relying on a highly local audience), I just see 7 as a more likely close time.

 

[Scott W.]

I can’t imagine who would be at Epcot that late with no festivals, Ratatouille not open yet and no fireworks.

The thing that keeps people at Epcot until close is a combination of festivals and fireworks. Without either (and relying on a highly local audience), I just see 7 as a more likely close time.

Has anything been mentioned about Spaceship Earth being open?

 

[Nick]

Has anything been mentioned about Spaceship Earth being open?

Nothing either way, from what I’ve heard.

 

[Teebin]

These are so lush and pretty with the wet pavement. My favorite tipu trees shade the way...

 

[GAcoaster]

I can’t imagine who would be at Epcot that late with no festivals, Ratatouille not open yet and no fireworks.

The thing that keeps people at Epcot until close is a combination of festivals and fireworks. Without either (and relying on a highly local audience), I just see 7 as a more likely close time.

Maybe they're planning a quasi-festival? It would make sense to have the festival booths in service since sit down dining (the majority of Epcot's restaurants) probably can't re-open. Just have festival food in the open air booths. I think that makes sense to try and give guests something in a park with not much to offer.

 

[Andysol]

I can’t imagine who would be at Epcot that late with no festivals, Ratatouille not open yet and no fireworks.

Dinner around the world will still be a huge moneymaker for them. 7pm is way too early to close, IMO.

 

[devinp267]

It's extremely smart on Disney's part to open later. Not only is this when I think this is when the parks should be open anyway, but it allows Disney to escape any criticism if cases and deaths suddenly surge in Orlando and allows them to adjust if that were to happen.

Disney's letting all other parks be the guinea pigs before they open up their gates.

Question...whats the difference in opening a month later with cases still coming in left and right and no vaccine still??

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Question...whats the difference in opening a month later with cases still coming in left and right and no vaccine still??

Several reasons:

1. If a second wave hits the Orlando area, they won't be getting blame from the world while every other park is open.
2. They don't have the resources to open within the next few weeks. Over on Magic, it's been said Disney wasn't planning to re-open until August, but the shifts with every competitor pressured them to open sooner.
3. Letting everyone else open first allows Disney time to see what is and isn't working as they tune the details in their guidelines.

 

[Nick]

Question...whats the difference in opening a month later with cases still coming in left and right and no vaccine still??

A month is enough time to tell if the reopening of Universal, Fun Spot, Sea World, etc is causing a potential second wave.

 

[devinp267]

Several reasons:

1. If a second wave hits the Orlando area, they won't be getting blame from the world while every other park is open.
2. They don't have the resources to open within the next few weeks. Over on Magic, it's been said Disney wasn't planning to re-open until August, but the shifts with every competitor pressured them to open sooner.
3. Letting everyone else open first allows Disney time to see what is and isn't working as they tune the details in their guidelines.

A month is enough time to tell if the reopening of Universal, Fun Spot, Sea World, etc is causing a potential second wave.

If think that's a cop out, disney is one of the most greedy companies I know, they would love to open right now along with the rest I think they just need more time but to say "extremely smart" like they are choosing is a reach imo. I don't think they can physically.

 

[Nick]

If think that's a cop out, disney is one of the most greedy companies I know, they would love to open right now along with the rest I think they just need more time but to say "extremely smart" like they are choosing is a reach imo. I don't think they can physically.

I mean, that’s possible too that they can’t, but honestly I really don’t think the parks should’ve opened before July anyway. So whatever the reason, I think it’s smart to open in that timeframe.

 

[Frank Drackman]

I know we all arm chair board room choices and all, but one thing I've really wondered in 'reopening' is what lawyers talk about. I mean, I've felt like the (business) world took a pause and now I see that these parks are pushing responsibility back to the self, making the individual the owner of their choices (now me as an individual, I know for my family, we need extra care to avoid potential actions of others).

What does a company do save do their best to follow CDC recommendations?

Now, the real thing I do not know, well that I am not 100% sure of is that when folks always bring up 'insurance'. Wouldn't a company the size of Disney self insure? Wouldn't they (most likely) be the only ones big enough to self insure?

I just wonder if something like being self insured (plus furloughing all your employees) would be reason enough for a slower approach to opening?

On the planning for capacity on a OPs side, how many tourist would one expect to be able to reach Orlando, I mean are all fights up to capacity, little things like that, how does one sit down and figure out rooms/rides/food....safety/health, employees, guest...I shall find a pool with a home before I visit a theme park ;-)

 

[TheGentTrent]

I just noticed that SeaWorld Orlando will be eliminating single rider lines for the time being. Did they even offer that to begin with? I can't recall ever using one over my dozen-plus visits over the past five years.